NEWS ROUNDUP: “The Wiz Live!” Receives Rave Reviews…AND MORE

Millions tuned in to watch the updated version of the Broadway classic.

After much speculation about whether NBC could pull off classic movie The Wiz as a live production, based on the rave reviews following the theatrical adaptation that aired Thursday night, the cast and crew delivered. Millions of people tuned into the show yesterday evening and praised the cast for giving the 1978 movie new life. Celebrities took to Twitter to share their excitement. “#TheWiz so fantastic so far!!! And @LuvbeingShanice you are a star!!!!!,” tweeted actress Audra McDonald. “How the heck am I supposed to watch this when I want to get up and dance at the same time!! #TheWizLive killing it!!!” “Is it weird that I’m already crying? #TheWizLive,” tweeted Gabourey Sidibe. The general consensus of #BlackTwitter, which lashed out at CNN after they posted a controversial article about the show, was that the cast did a job well done. Read more.

Identities of San Bernardino Victims Released

The identities of those who lost their lives in the San Bernardino massacre that took place earlier this week have been released. Amongst the dead was Sierra Clayborn, a 27-year-old health inspector. “She was just in my kitchen at the middle school about two weeks ago,” said Christine Kay Naylor, who works at one of the schools Clayborn inspected. “She was always smiling, upbeat, and so helpful. She felt more like a friend than an inspector. Many of us are in shock and feeling very angry.” Other victims worked in the realm of healthcare and one of them was the coworker of shooter Syed Rizwan Farook. The massacre, which took place at a holiday party at the Inland Regional Center, resulted in 14 fatalities and 21 injured. Read more.

NFL Player’s Cousin Among One of the San Bernardino Victims

As the country mourns the San Bernardino shooting, for football player Nat Berhe, the incident hit close to home. Berhe, who is a safety for the New York Giants, shared that one of his cousins was among the victims killed. “Just got word that one of my cousins was among the 14 killed yesterday, I’m so sick right now,” he tweeted. “The true terror is that this keeps happening. I still can’t believe it. Take a moment to think of the families hurting right now.” Berhe’s cousin was 60-year-old Isaac Amanios. Amanios worked as a supervising environmental health specialist. Read more.